Senior Lucy Schwartz’s folksy voice sang out ‘I am leaving it all behind, and I don’t know where I’ll be. Leaving it all behind, but the road’s in front of me,’ last Thursday during the Palisades Charter High School’s 2008 commencement ceremony. ‘It was a very special moment for me to be able to share that feeling with everyone at graduation,’ said Schwartz, who composed the piece. Classmate Anne Sokolich accompanied Schwartz on the cello. Schwartz was among 587 seniors to graduate in front of family and friends at the Stadium-by-the-Sea. As in the title of her song, Schwartz and her peers will be ‘Leaving It All Behind’ to begin a new chapter in life. While many students will travel outside the state for college and work, Schwartz will stay close to home. The singer and songwriter, with one released CD, ‘Winter in June,’ plans to attend Occidental College this fall to study liberal arts and continue making music. Other seniors shared their musical talent during the graduation ceremony. Senior Karlee Fomalont hit the high notes of the national anthem, Christie Pryor and Lindsay Jacobs sang ‘For Good’ (from the musical ‘Wicked’), while senior Paul Miller performed ‘Wheels of a Dream’ (from the musical ‘Ragtime’). Shannon Kinnard sang ‘Brave,’ and the senior choir class performed The Beatles’ hit song ‘All You Need Is Love.’ Valedictorian Kevin Gould, who will attend Columbia University, strove to inspire his classmates in his speech. He quoted philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, ‘Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see.’ ‘I urge all of you to search for our own targets that no one else can see,’ Gould said. ‘Success in any field is gratifying and fulfilling, but if you can accomplish something previously inconceivable, you will be able to leave a lasting impression upon the world.’ Seniors Shion An, Jonathan Dye and Christine Kappeyne were the 2008 salutatorians, and 77 students were named California Scholarship Federation Affirmed Sealbearers after earning a certain number of points based on their grades. In Kirsten Van Kallen’s speech, she spoke of PaliHi’s diversity. ‘This close-knit community of so many different cultures has enabled us to give up our close-mindedness and explore life and all of the diversity it offers,’ Van Kallen said. ‘Believe it or not, we have 14 greeters representing 14 different nationalities here today.’ To begin the commencement exercises, the seniors welcomed friends and family in 14 languages, including Farsi, Korean, Hebrew, Arabic, Armenian and Gaelic. Seniors Tyler Lewitzke, Joshua Melamed, Nicole Mahanian and Kevin Javidzad also gave speeches reminiscing about prom and sporting events and thanking teachers and parents. Interim Principal Marcia Haskin congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments. She noted that she had the pleasure of meeting seniors who were eager to enroll in Advanced Placement classes and visiting classrooms where she watched seniors achieving in high levels of math and science. She also had the honor of seeing 11 seniors receive a Dillon Henry Memorial Scholarship. The scholarships were given in memory of Henry, a Rustic Canyon resident who died in a car crash last July and would have graduated with this class. ‘His memory and others not here tonight will live on through your spirit,’ Haskin said. The seniors then received their diplomas to the sound of cheers. Many parents held signs congratulating their children. After the final diploma was presented, senior class president Genna Rochlin took the podium and said, ‘The moment has finally arrived!’ She asked the graduating class to move their tassels from the right to the left, and the graduates then tossed their caps high in the air. ‘Class of 2008, congratulations on reaching this momentous milestone in each of your lives,’ Gould said at the end of his speech. ‘May you all see farther than anyone could ever imagine.’
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